Relentless
by sakura314
Summary: AlbelxOC As of now, I'm thinking this will simply be a re-write of a fic I wrote years ago "A Man With a Stone Heart and A Cold Stare" but it's all subject to change...
1. A Desperate Act

Chapter 1: A Desperate Act

"Just let me go!"

Tears wouldn't stop falling from my eyes. No matter how much I told myself that everything would be all right, I knew in the depths of my heart that it wouldn't. There was nothing I could do to stop the events that were about to unfold. I think that, above everything else, the feeling of helplessness was the worst. All I could do was hang from the chains that were fastened around my neck and my wrists, pinned to the cold stone wall like a wild animal. I had been locked here for three days, imprisoned for a crime that was no more than a desperate act to keep my family alive. I hung my head in despair, as I replayed the event again in my head yet again.

I had attacked a noble, though not without just cause.

It was early evening as I stumbled into the little town, and the sun was beginning its descent below the horizon making the sky turn fiery with orange and gold. The town was growing quieter by the minute. As I walked the streets I found travelers heading to the inns, and the merchants to the taverns restless after their day of business work. An odd time for me to visit it seems, but I've found it's the best time, because of the busyness of my parent's work. My parents are by no means rich. In fact they cannot even support themselves, let alone me. But they never once said they were unhappy with their lives, even still, I felt obligated to get a job at the age of ten, and had actually moved out of the house at fifteen. After that, they were doing much better, not that they would ever acknowledge my hindrance on them. I'm twenty now, so I had moved away long ago. But came into the town of Kirsla often to visit. At this time of day they were most likely just finishing up with their day's work and relaxing.

Upon my arrival, however, I found that this was not the case today. A nobleman's carriage was in front of the house and I could hear things breaking inside. Concerned, I ran in to see what was happening. I found a man standing above my father with his sword in hand. My mother was completely still in the back of the room, she was bleeding from what looked like stab wounds.

"Akina! Get away from here!" My father cried as he saw me burst through the door. Concern and fear written all over his face

My body reacted to the scene before me as if of it's own accord. I pulled my silver, double-edged sword from it's sheath and charged at the man before me with a rage that I had never felt before.

Though before I could strike him I found myself being shoved to the ground, sword flinging from my hands. There had been another noble in the room that I had not seen. Before I could turn to face my adversary his hands had grabbed me by the waist. I struggled with all of the strength that I could muster, until I felt the cold, hard edge of a blade at my throat. My breath caught.

"You will regret this day, you worm!" A deep, raspy voice whispered into my ear. I looked to my family with a desperate plea.

"Please… just let them go, leave them alone!" I said in a weak voice. Gripping the arm that held the sword to my neck. The noble grinned at me, mockingly.

"Well," the nobleman said, with a laugh, "I guess because the pretty lady asked us so nicely, we'll have to just leave, eh Albel?"

Albel? That name… I knew it all too well. This man was no noble. He was infamous throughout the town. He was a viscous killer with no remorse. He was the leader of the Black Brigade, the most terrifying military faction in all of Elicoor. And I was in his grasp.

"Actually, I think that's a good idea, Carsten…" Albel said.

Carsten's expression changed, "Sir?"

"Yes… lets leave here…this girl's treachery should be well honored," Albel chuckled, "…with a public execution."

"No!" My father screamed, "My daughter has done nothing! Let her go!" At this Carsten kicked him square in the head and he fell to the ground, out cold. I squeezed my eyes shut; I couldn't bear to see my family in this sorry state. I desperately fought the tears that were welling up in my eyes; I refused to allow these men to see my weakness. For I knew they would take pleasure in it.

"You're all monsters…" I said quietly.

"Hmph. Learn this girl, I show mercy to no one," Albel said, tightening his hold on me. I turned as far away from him as I could. "That includes weak little fools such as you and your pathetic family." He then kicked me in my spine, causing my world to fade to black.

Coming back to reality, I made another futile attempt to pull away from my restraints, causing nothing more than a deepening the cuts I had already made from my relentless struggles of the past days. I laid my head back against the wall, fighting the urge to scream. Looking to my left, I could see that snow was falling gently in the night sky outside through the barred window. It was the first time I had even noticed the window at all. I had been locked this cell so long, yet I had never really _seen_ it. Looking around I found it wasn't anything remarkable; three walls made of stone, the other of metal bars, a torch lighting the corridor outside the cell. Was this really going to be the last place I was in before I died?

Exhausted and frustrated, I fell into a restless sleep.


	2. Taunting

Chapter 2 – Taunting

There was nothing but darkness all around me; I was all alone and terribly frightened. People were rushing at me in every direction with knives in their hands. I kept attacking them over and over, but they never ceased to arise again from their injuries and attack me again. Just when I was reaching my physical limits and falling to the ground, the fighters were gone, evaporated into thin air it seemed. There was a long silence, and then I began to hear the sound of footsteps. Of friend or foe I couldn't hope to tell. What direction they were coming from was a mystery as well. I braced myself, clutching my sword tightly in front of me. Then a dark figure appeared before me, they held out their hand. I hesitated but slowly lowered my sword and grasped the hand held out to me. They led me through the darkness. Fighting off the enemies that came after us with an ease that was almost inhuman. Suddenly after a lot of twists and turns it became lighter; showing the exit to the dark tunnel, my rescuer released my hand as I ran towards it.

As I fled out from the darkness, I realized where I had been. I was in the closed off caverns within Kirsla. Looking at the ground, I could see that there was blood on the white, sandy ground as if there had been a great fight in this very location. My blood suddenly ran cold in my veins, for this was the area for the executions. As if on cue, I felt a cold hand on my shoulder.

"This will be your highest honor… Milady," it was the menacing voice of Albel. Fear shot through me, but before I got the chance to turn around his hand tightened on my shoulder as he pierced his katana through my back. I simply looked down at it, stunned. He pulled out the blade and I fell to the ground, unable to move. I was just barely clinging to reality. He pushed me around until I faced him. It truly was Albel; there was no mistaking that. With his gauntleted left arm, his killer blood red eyes, and his black hair with blonde tips. I just looked at him, struggling to stay conscious. Then he bent down looked into my eyes. He had whispered something to me but I was too lost to properly hear or understand what he had said.

Suddenly, his expression shifted and before I knew what was happening... his lips pressed hard against mine. There was nothing I could do about it, I couldn't even move. My mind was racing, I didn't understand any of it, why would he stab me then kiss me? Why would he even kiss me at all? None of it made any sense. He didn't allow for any more contemplation of the matter however, for he quickly pulled away from me, taking his gauntlet and slicing my throat.

I woke up screaming, realizing instantly and with a great relief, that it had only been a nightmare. Though upon my awakening I came to the conclusion that my life had become just that—a nightmare. I sighed deeply, trying to slow down my heart.

"Damn it… why did I have to dream about _him_?" I was angry with myself, it was bad enough having to be imprisoned by him in reality, let alone inside the core of my very self. But it got me thinking, why did I dream that? What in my subconscious led me to believe that Albel would act that way towards me? I quickly came to the conclusion that dreams were unfounded by reality and held no meaning.

I heard a loud crash from somewhere in the corridor outside of my cell, followed by slow and echoing footsteps coming from the left, towards me. I braced myself—the time had finally come.

The figure of my captor was revealed through the bars; by this time I was not surprised to see him.

"Nox…" I whispered. I felt anger rise within me as I said his name aloud. He was the object of all my hatred and despair these last few days. Were it not for him, my life would still be at peace. He was striding forward, clad in black with a menacing smirk on his face. It was infuriating.

"So…" He said, "Still clinging to life I see, good," He leaned against the bars of the cell, narrowing his eyes at me. "That makes it so much more fun to kill you."

"Go to hell, you bastard!" I yelled, glaring back at him with an anger I had never in my life experienced. He just laughed, clapping slowly; mockingly.

"Oh so original! I'm so _hurt_!" his laughter continued.

"Son of a…" My eyes narrowed. His laughter was a piercing sound. I clenched my fists to keep from screaming at him. As his laughter came to an end, he pulled out a key from his back pocket and began to open the door to the cell.

I immediately became formulating my escape, as he walked through the door, I prayed silently that he would leave it ajar as it was. By some miracle; he did just so. Looking back to him, I saw he was staring at me, his intent written all over his face—he was ready to perform an execution on this day. I did not allow myself to express the fear that shot through me at the look in his eyes. The fighter within me would not allow me to do that. For an acknowledgement of fear even for an instant was little more than an opening for attack, or so my father had taught me.

He must have noticed my eyes lingering on the open cell door, for he paused for a moment, glanced over his shoulder, then tilted his head back at me,

"I wouldn't try it, worm. Even if you managed to get through me—which you wouldn't—there are over a thousand guards in this prison alone. You would never make it out of this place alive. Not that I wouldn't take joy in seeing you try."

I remained silent, not wanting to give away my intentions. I wanted to keep him oblivious. I continued to stare forward as he unlocked my neck restraint. As he pulled it from my skin it seared, painfully reopening my wounds. For the blood from the cuts had dried to it. He moved on to the first arm restraint, I could feel him eyeing me from his peripherals, but I couldn't have cared less. I _was_ getting out of this place today.

He slowly walked in front of me to the other arm restraint, as he began to unlock it all of the muscles in my body tensed. Albel may be stronger than I, but I firmly believed that I was the faster of the two of us.

The instant I heard the click of the cuff unlocking, I sprinted towards the cell door. I was paying attention to nothing else but getting out, that was my gravest mistake.

He was upon me in an instant, grunting as he threw my body back towards the stone wall, I smashed against it hard. His clawed gauntlet was suddenly gripping my neck so tightly that I was unable to breathe. I gripped his arm as tightly as I could manage, but it didn't seem to do any good. All I could feel was the cold threatening steel against my skin. I didn't dare open my eyes, his breath was far too close to my face, and I had no desire to look into his eyes; I didn't want to see what the eyes of a killer were like from so short a distance.

"Do not…" He said steadily, "Underestimate… my wrath, you damn worthless girl." He gripped the back of my hair, pulling it back and forcing me to open my eyes and look at him. His eyes burned with a merciless rage. "I will destroy you…" He said this ever so slowly, not letting his gaze drift from my eyes once. His grip on me tightened further, piercing my skin. I cried out involuntarily, my eyes tightening from the pain.

_This is it…_I thought as his claws dug deeper, _This is the end of the line…_

Then, all at once the crippling pain subsided a bit and I gasped for air. I fell to the floor, lacking the strength to stop myself. I clutched my throat, gagging. Feeling the warm, thick blood that was running out through my fingertips sent chills through me.

Even through my uncontrollable whimpering and tremulous shaking, I could still hear Albel's sickly laughter. Looking up to him from where I lay, I found him admiring the blood that covered his gauntlet. It was as if he some kind of satisfaction in it, atrocious as it seems He inhaled deeply, his eyes closing. I willed myself to get up, to run away from this monster, but I had reached my limits both mentally and physically. I was at his mercy now.

As he exhaled, he opened his eyes, fixating them upon mine. There was no trace of a mocking smirk, not a hint of menacing laughter in the air. He was just staring, emotionless, into my eyes. It was somehow much worse than anything else he had done. I wanted nothing more than to look away, but I didn't dare.

Hi eyes suddenly narrowed and he quickly knelt down next to my face, "I think…" He mused, "That I've finally thought of a proper sentence for you," He leaned in even closer still, his face just inches away from mine, "…At this point, death just seems so _inadequate_ for you."


End file.
